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europe holocaust tours

7 Holocaust Tours in Europe You Can’t Miss (2024)

Wondering which holocaust tours in europe are worth taking.

The Holocaust was one of the darkest and most tragic events in human history, and, while tours of these sacred memorials and grounds are incredibly difficult, it is crucial that we visit and learn in order remember and honor the victims and survivors who lived this horrific history firsthand. More than anywhere else in the world, Europe is home to numerous sites and museums which offer tours and educational experiences for those interested in learning more about the Holocaust. I’ve spent more than 25 years studying the genocide of the Holocaust , teaching it and touring various sites throughout Europe connected to it. Some I would recommend that everyone see, and others you could probably skip. In this blog post, I’ll lay out the top Holocaust tours in Europe that you should consider taking- especially if this is your first visit to a Holocaust site . These tours not only provide an opportunity to learn about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, but also offer a chance to reflect on the importance of remembrance and the dangers of prejudice, hatred, and Holocaust denial. They offer us a chance to live NEVER AGAIN.

europe holocaust tours

Top Holocaust Museum Tours To Take in Europe

Holocaust memorials and museums have cropped up in just about every major city in Europe, offering a place for people to remember and learn from the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust. While there are many, here are two of the most significant Holocaust Museum Tours to take during your time in Europe:

1. Anne Frank House Tour

The moveable bookshelf that hid the Frank family in their Secret Annex hiding place.

⭐ Visited By 1.3 million people/year | ⏳ Time Needed: 1-1.5 Hours

The Anne Frank House , located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is one of the most-visited Holocaust memorial sites in the world. It is something you absolutely should not miss; I recommend it be on every single Amsterdam travel itinerary . You’ll find yourself walking, creeping, and climbing through the words of Anne Frank herself as you step back in time. A Holocaust tour of the Anne Frank House is incredibly moving, in part because the Secret Annex was left, in most ways, just as it was back then. When he opened the Anne Frank Huis, Otto Frank intentionally wanted the space of the Secret Annex to be bare. He removed all of the furniture, and he wanted the space to remain with integrity. If you read Diary of a Young Girl prior to your trip, you’ll find that you see many of the things you read about in her diary. Visitors to the Anne Frank House walk through her father’s warehouse and up into the offices and stockrooms held by his employees. You’ll climb stairs and find yourself face-to-face with the world-famous swinging bookshelf that hid the Frank family. As you climb higher into the Secret Annex itself, photos pasted on the walls, growth charts on the wall depicting the heights of Anne and Margot, and preserved artifacts tell the story of one of the most famous teenage voices of the Holocaust. Even after taking tours at the Anne Frank House countless times, I am still moved to visit each time I am in Amsterdam . Anne’s story is one that should be told over and over again, and a Holocaust tour here is well worth a visit.

⭐ Read everything you need to know about touring the Anne Frank House -including how to get tickets!

2. Jewish Museum Berlin

Photo of discarded film canisters at the Jewish Museum Berlin.

⭐ Visited By 700k people/year | ⏳ Time Needed: 2-3 Hours

The Jewish Museum Berlin is a world-famous museum and Holocaust memorial site that offers visitors the opportunity to explore the history of Jewish life in Germany, as well as the Holocaust and its aftermath. The museum’s permanent exhibition explores the past and present pieces of Jewish Life in Germany. Visitors move through five chapters in history, exploring perspectives of Jewish culture and tradition. I love how unique questions like “What is the sound of Judaism?” come alive during a tour of this museum. Finally, a large portion of the museum is dedicated to the Holocaust and the After 1945 section, where the focus is on how Jewish life has been repaired following the Holocaust. An audioguide tour is a fantastic way to explore this enormous museum with an in-pocket guide. It will help educate you on the mass amounts of artifacts, manuscripts, and personal testimonies that the museum has on display. The Jewish Museum Berlin is a powerful and thought-provoking museum- a must-visit for any history buff.

europe holocaust tours

Most Worthwhile Concentration Camp Tours

It goes without saying that some of the most gruesome and moving sites connected to the history of the Holocaust are the grounds of concentration camps. Many former concentration camps have been preserved and turned into Holocaust memorial sites and museums; they now offer tours and educational workshops to help spread the mission and message of “Never Again.” Here are a few of the most worthwhile Concentration Camp Holocaust Tours:

3. Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Holocaust Memorial and Museum Tour

The entrance gates to Auschwitz-Birkenau seen behind barbed wire.

⭐ RATING 5 Out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Duration: 1 Hour | ✈️ BOOK NOW!

If there is one place you tour that is connected to the Holocaust, let it be the grounds of Auschwitz. Though it will be a tenuous and upsetting visit, it is easily the most moving Holocaust tour you will ever take. If you are visiting Poland and spending any time in the city of Krakow at all, a tour to Auschwitz should be on your itinerary. There is something so important about walking the grounds in Poland that no one can describe to you- You must feel it for yourself. Even after touring it multiple times, I still find myself with goosebumps and chills, learning something new each time I set foot there. A tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp picks you up in the city of Krakow. During the 1.5-hour ride to Oświęcim, learn about some of the history of the Holocaust through a moving documentary meant to give you context for your visit to this enormous concentration camp complex. Once there, a guided tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau will take you through the grounds of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau as a guide shares poignant pieces of stories of those who were imprisoned and murdered at this extermination camp. During this Holocaust tour, you’ll see sights worse than anything you could have imagined. You’ll walk past many barracks with bunks, see artifacts left behind by prisoners, walk through a gas chamber, and see ovens that were used to cremate the remains of the Jews and other victims of the Holocaust. But you’ll learn an inordinate amount and have experienced firsthand how critical it is that we learn from history by being there ourselves.

⭐ Check Availability For the Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour (Which Includes Transportation) that I Take Whenever I’m in Krakow!

4. Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour

Walking into the Jewish memorial at Dachau Concentration camp.

There are some tours that will stick with you forever… and a tour of Dachau Concentration Camp with Alun Evans of Evansguide is one of those tours. Dachau was the first concentration camp; it was meant to be the model for all others. Because of this, the grounds have been impeccably preserved as a memorial and museum. On a Holocaust tour of Dachau , you’ll learn about the way SS soldiers were housed and worked nearby, how commandants were trained here, and how political prisoners, mainly, were grossly mistreated. Dachau, as far as we know, was never used as an extermination camp the way Auschwitz or Buchenwald was. Nonetheless, the grounds are hallowed, still, and haunted. You’ll walk down a tree-lined lane, wondering how on earth the barracks stretched that far into the distance. You’ll meander along the perimeter of barbed wire just before stumbling upon a clearing with a shower room, a gas chamber, and a crematorium. At Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial, you’ll witness the religious monuments set up in honor of the victims who perished here. And you’ll learn an immense amount in a very detailed museum about what life was like in Dachau and the surrounding area. No matter how many times I’ve learned at Dachau , I keep coming back to tour it with Alun. He is extensively knowledgeable, yet he is also approachable and engaging. Touring Dachau will put Germany’s history on full display, creating a learning experience you won’t soon forget.

⭐ Check Rates & Dates for Alun Evan’s Guided Tour of Dachau

5. Terezin Concentration Camp Holocaust Tour

A view of sinks in the bathroom at Terezin, or Theresienstadt, a concentration camp outside of Prague.

⭐ RATING 5 Out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Duration: 5 Hours | ✈️ BOOK NOW!

Terezin, also known as Theresienstadt, was a former military fortress located in the Czech Republic that was used by the Nazis during World War II. What makes Terezin significant, though, is that it was primarily utilized by the Nazis as a piece in their propaganda machine. On this tour, you’ll learn all about the manipulative “beautification projects” that were completed in attempts to fool the Red Cross and the general public about living conditions at Terezin. At times, Terezin was even touted as a “spa town” (there’s literally a swimming pool). On a tour, you’ll spend most of your time in the small Fortress, where you’ll see a former prison used by the Nazis, cramped cells, and even punishment rooms. There are also bathrooms, showers, and even medical rooms that show very clearly what life was like for prisoners. Another reason this former concentration camp made this list of the top Holocaust tours in Europe for me is that Terezin held a significant number of children. These children were permitted to write, create artwork, and design poetry. A number of the artifacts from the children of Terezin survived. Seeing these works of art and hearing the stories of the children who lived within the fortress walls is something that makes Terezin stand apart from other locations associated with the Holocaust in Europe. When you’re finished, your guided tour will end at The National Cemetery, where you can pay your respects to those who perished in the walls of this fortress before heading back to Prague.

⭐ Check Availability for this Exclusive Private Tour of Terezin!

Best Holocaust History Walking Tours in Europe

Historical walking tours connected to the Holocaust are some of the most enriching learning experiences I’ve been a part of. It is difficult to describe what it’s like seeing firsthand the sites and locations where some of the most poignant events in history occurred. History comes to life as you walk along city streets, taking in what life must have been like as you hear stories from knowledgeable guides. Here are the Holocaust walking tours you can’t afford to miss:

6. Munich Third Reich Walking Tour

A view of downtown Old Town Munich.

⭐ RATING 4.5 Out of 5 Stars (2000+ Reviews!) | ⏳ Time Needed: 2.5 Hours | ✈️ BOOK NOW!

The rise and fall of the Third Reich happened largely in Munich. As such, you’ll find many sites within this city are connected to the history of World War II and the Holocaust. The Munich Third Reich Walking Tour takes visitors on a journey through Munich’s tumultuous past during the years of Nazi rule. You’ll experience up close pieces of Munich’s dark history and explore the city’s connections with the Third Reich and its most notorious figure, Adolf Hitler. You’ll begin your tour with a visit to the Konigsplatz and the Odeonsplatz, both places within the Old Town of Munich that were used by the Nazi Party for things like book burnings and marches You’ll hear about how the Third Reich became a propaganda machine and even see where the infamous Beer Hall Putsch took place. A spot you can’t miss, and one of my favorite places in all of Munich, is next on your walking tour: Hofbräuhaus, a famous beer hall where the Nazi Party held many of its rallies. You’ll pass by the Old Town Hall of Munich and end your tour back in the city center at Marienplatz. By walking in the footsteps of history, you’ll gain deeper insight into the rise of the Nazi regime and how it impacted Munich, shaping the events and culture of Germany before and during World War II.

7. Kazimierz: A Walking Tour of Krakow’s Jewish Quarter

A view of a street in the Kazimierz, Old Jewish District, of Krakow.

⭐ RATING 5 Out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Time Needed: 3 Hours | ✈️ BOOK NOW!

Krakow, and Kazimierz in particular, was the center of Jewish life in Poland prior to World War II and the Holocaust. However, it fell into disrepair and quickly became a less-than-safe part of town following the war. Now, however, Kazimierz is back- having transformed into the burgeoning cultural and foodie scene that it is today , a beautiful Hallmark of Jewish life in Poland once again. A walking tour around the Jewish district of Kazimierz is easily one of the best Holocaust tour experiences in Europe. You’ll visit landmarks central to Jewish history like the O ld Synagogue, Ghetto Heroe’s Square, and even Oskar Schindler’s famous enamelware factory, best portrayed in the film, Schindler’s List. Kazimierz has plenty of other significant sites to see, such as the location of the original Krakow Ghetto. Finally, you’ll spend some time at the Eagle Pharmacy (a Museum of Krakow) which pays respect and honor to Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a local pharmacist from Kazimierz who rescued Jews during the Holocaust. See the beauty and culture that Jewish life and this stunning neighborhood brings to Krakow through this unique walking tour.

Final Thoughts: Most Worthwhile Holocaust Tours in Europe

Taking a tour of a Holocaust site in Europe is not for the faint of heart. It is a moving and heavy day with tours, information, and sites that will linger in your consciousness long after the day is done. But, as a Holocaust educator, I cannot overstate just how important it is to learn from this history. Taking a Holocaust tour in Europe will put you in the footsteps of those who came before you. You’ll have the chance to learn and pay your respects, helping a new generation grow up and gain a greater understanding of this pivotal moment in human history and the dangers of genocide and human nature.

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Taylor Beal, owner and author of Traverse With Taylor, has been traveling in Europe for more than a decade and helps others explore Europe easily through amazing guides and itineraries. She has adventured through more than 20 countries, searching for the best experiences, must-try foods, and delicious beers! She spends a lot of time in Scotland and Amsterdam, two of her favorite places! Taylor is also a Holocaust educator focused on raising awareness around WWII historical sites.

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The Holocaust

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Poland and the Nazi Death Camps

Experience Tours General History Tours Holocaust Tours

26th June - 3rd July 2024 (8 Days)

Expert Historian : Professor Alexander Korb

Tour price: £2,800

click here to book

MORE DATES AVAILABLE BELOW

Your Holiday Essentials

26th June - 3rd July 2024 (8 Days)

4-star hotels, meals as indicated,

drinks with dinner, all entrance

fees, tour manager and expert

historian throughout, all internal

travel, optional travel from UK.

Activity Level : 2

Standard price: £2,550

Incl. travel from UK: £2,800 Room sole occupancy supplement: £315 Non-refundable deposit: £275

Booking open

Interested in this tour but not ready to book? Register your interest using the link below and we will keep you updated on the progress of the tour.

click here to register your interest

28th August - 4th September 2024 (8 Days)

Expert Historian : Dr Isabel Wollaston

2nd - 9th October 2024 (8 Days)

Expert Historian : Martin Winstone

Use the button below to be put on the waiting list

Tour Introduction

In this 8-day tour to Poland, we visit the sites of the former ghettos in Warsaw, Lublin and Krakow alongside four of the concentration and death camps - Treblinka, Majdanek, Belzec and Auschwitz-Birkenau - that played such a significant role in this genocide. We look at the struggle of both the Jews and the Poles against their oppressors,visiting the scenes of the Ghetto Uprising in 1943 and the memorial to the Warsaw Rising in 1944. You will see the shift from complete physical destruction of ghetto and camp to the actual remnants due to the rapid advance of the Soviets. However, the tour is not limited to the serious and emotive history of the Holocaust, with its clear message for future generations. We also enjoy expert guided tours of the historic cities of Warsaw and Krakow. We sample much of the local culture and visit the world famous salt mine at Wieliczka. Each evening we will dine in a different local restaurant to enjoy a wealth of diverse local cuisine. The topography of the sites we visit involves a fair amount of walking: at Auschwitz/Birkenau you will cover almost 8 miles over the course of the day, but that is necessary to achieve a full appreciation of the subject.

Read reviews of this tour by past travellers

Under Communism, in Poland it was traditional to refer to ‘six million Poles murdered during World War II, a figure that referred to 3 million ethnic Poles and 3 million Polish Jews. Those Polish Jews were murdered in ghettos, forests in the east of the country, or purpose-built death camps set up after the German occupation of Poland. By far the largest of these was Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was the site of over one million deaths, mainly Jews brought here from all over Europe. The smaller, purpose built 'killing' camp of Treblinka, where Warsaw's Jews were taken, was said by its commandant SS-Obersturmfuhrer Franz Stangl to be able to murder over 1000 people per hour at its peak. With the positioning of the Majdanek camp on the outskirts of Lublin, the Germans made no effort to disguise the killings, its gas chambers and crematorium being plainly visible to passers-by. The overarching narrative of the tour is about the shift from Polish Jews to European Jews and the evolution of policy from concentration camps to death camps.

  • With  Dr Isabel Wollaston , Prof Alexander Korb or Martin Winstone
  • See parts of ghetto walls in Warsaw
  • The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
  • Treblinka memorial and museum
  • The multi-purpose prisoner of war camp, concentration camp and death camp at Majdanek, on the outskirts of Lublin
  • Belzec camp and museum
  • Guided tour of the architectural wealth of Krakow's Old Town, and former Jewish quarter in Kazimierz, now a major cultural and heritage site (and which featured heavily in Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List.
  • Full day at Auschwitz and Birkenau
  • Visit the awesome 700 year old salt mine at Wieliczka

What's Included

  • Return flights from London (optional)
  • 4 Star Hotels
  • Buffet breakfast each morning
  • A three-course dinner party on 6 evenings hosted by your expert historian and tour manager
  • Two drinks i,e wine or beer at each dinner and a welcome drink on first evening
  • Dedicated Tour Manager
  • Entrance fees for sites included in itinerary
  • Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coach
  • Tour information booklet
  • Access to the Cultural Experience app
  • Helpful and friendly travel advice
  • The company of like-minded travelers

"All in all an incredibly enriching and moving experience, I am so glad I went with The Cultural Experience. With the guides vast expertise brought everything to life. Examining events in chronological order was an amazing way to learn".

"One doesn’t need to be an expert hiker for this tour, but you need a lot of stamina – there is a lot of walking and standing, often for hours, with nowhere to sit down and rest...this was an amazing once in a lifetime experience...I thought I understood the Holocaust, but I had only superficial knowledge. I have learned so much."

Day 1 - Depart

We fly from London to Warsaw before checking-in to our central hotel for two nights. (D)

Day 2 - Warsaw

A busy day exploring the Polish capital on foot to explore the key sites associated with the former ghetto and its subsequent uprising: the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Umschlagplatz (a holding area set up by Nazi Germany) and the Warsaw Jewish cemetery, one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the world.(B,D)

Day 3 - Treblinka & Lublin

This morning we drive to the extermination camps at Treblinka, where between 700,000 to 900,000 Jews lost their lives. Operational between July 1943 and October 1943, more Jews lost their lives at Treblinka II than at any other death camp, other than Auschwitz. Spend time in the small but informative museum before visiting the memorials to those who lost their lives. We spend the night in Lublin, a city which had a large pre-war Jewish population and which served as the administration centre for Action Reinhardt. (B,D)

Day 4 - Belzec & Majdanek

Our day will begin at the concentration camp of Majdanek, just on the outskirts of Lublin, where approximately 80,000 people from 28 different countries lost their lives. Today it is a well-preserved Nazi concentration and death camp where we find barracks, guard towers, gas chambers, crematoria, museum, “Gates of Hell” memorial and the mausoleum memorial, a gigantic structure which contains the ashes of victims beneath it. Continue to Belzec, the small but lethal death camp, where between 430,000 & 500,000 Jews lost their lives in six-months with as a few as 7 people surviving. Our hotel for the evening is based in Rzeszów. (B,D)

Day 5 - Krakow

This morning we drive to Krakow where we take a change of pace and emphasis with an afternoon orientation tour of Krakow's Old Town and its busy street life. Check-in to our hotel for three nights.(B,D)

Day 6 - Auschwitz and Birkenau

An early start as we are immersed in a comprehensive tour on foot of the concentration and death camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. To enter the camp of Auschwitz, one passes under the infamous inscription 'Arbeit Macht Frei' mounted upon its main gate, before visiting the exhibitions in the surviving prison blocks. In the afternoon we visit Birkenau, also known as Auschwitz II, the purpose-built camp that had hundreds of barracks and 4 massive gas chambers and functioned as the epicentre of the Holocaust during 1943 and 1944. The day at Auschwitz and Birkenau explores two large camps and will involve a good amount of walking. This evening you are free to find your own restaurant for dinner and perhaps explore Krakow. (B)

Day 7 - Kazimierz and Wieliczka

Before WW2, some 70,000 Jews lived in Krakow, mostly in the suburb of Kazimierz. We explore this tiny area including the Old Synagogue Museum and there will be an opportunity for an optional unaccompanied visit to the museum situated in the former Oscar Schindler's Factory. We visit the awesome 700-year-old salt mine at Wieliczka, its labyrinth of 300km of tunnels revealing chapels, underground lakes and a museum. (B,D)

Day 8 - Home

Transfer to Warsaw airport for your return flight to London. (B)

Recommended Reading List

  • Auschwitz : The Nazis & The 'Final Solution'
  • Holocaust Landscapes
  • Marching into Darkness: The Wehrmacht and the Holocaust in Belarus
  • Ordinary Men
  • Survival in Auschwitz: The Nazi Assault on Humanity
  • Traces of the Holocaust: Journeying In and Out of the Ghettos

Professor Alexander Korb

Professor Alexander Korb

Alexander Korb was director of the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies between 2012 and 2018. Alexander is an expert of the Holocaust in Central and Southeastern Europe. Moreover, he specializes in the history of genocide, of international relations within wartime Europe, and in a transnational intellectual history of right-wing Europe.

Photo Gallery

  • SS Canteen, Auschwitz I
  • Isabel guiding the group at Majdanek
  • Warsaw Uprising Monument
  • Group picture inside Wieliczka Salt Mine
  • Auschwitz Train
  • Anne & Margot Frank Memorial

Tour Reviews

Take a look at some independent reviews of this tour by previous participants here

Take a look at some of the images taken on our most recent tour

View a diary of our Holocaust tour here

The Holocaust

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Tours & Trips including Auschwitz

Find the right tour for you through Auschwitz. We've got 94 adventures going to Auschwitz, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 28 days. The most popular month to go is August, which has the largest number of tour departures.

94 Auschwitz tour packages with 1,182 reviews

Krakow, Auschwitz & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days Tour

In-depth Cultural Family Explorer Historical Christmas & New Year +3

Krakow, Auschwitz & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

"Highly recommend this tour." Lois, traveled in November 2022

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"I could have done that myself with better accommodations." Angelica, traveled in January 2019

Krakow, Auschwitz, Enamel Factory & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days Tour

In-depth Cultural Family Explorer Historical +2

Krakow, Auschwitz, Enamel Factory & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

"It was excellent value for money and fulfilled everything I wanted to see in Krakow and more."

6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 2 people  Tour

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6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 2 people

7 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 3-4 people  Tour

7 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 3-4 people

Pearls of Poland (for couples) Tour

In-depth Cultural Sightseeing Christmas & New Year +1

Pearls of Poland (for couples)

"Extremely knowledgeable and contributed considerably to our understanding and enjoyment." Julieta, traveled in November 2019

Highlights of Southern Poland Tour

Explorer Coach / Bus Historical +1

Highlights of Southern Poland

"The Poland tour was excellent! Totally recommended!!" Maria, traveled in October 2021

Highlights of Poland Tour

Highlights of Poland

"The tour itself was very fulfilling. Everything promised in the three cities was delivered and it was all very exciting and very interesting." Walter, traveled in May 2023
  • 10% deposit on some dates

Highlights of Poland (Classic, 10 Days) Tour

In-depth Cultural Family Explorer Sightseeing +2

Highlights of Poland (Classic, 10 Days)

"Our introduction to beautiful Poland was thorough and at a pace that suited everyone on the bus." Loraine, traveled in July 2019

Tailor-Made Private Trip to Southern Poland with Daily Departure Tour

In-depth Cultural Family Christmas & New Year +1

Tailor-Made Private Trip to Southern Poland with Daily Departure

  • Book With Flexibility View tour Download Brochure

What people love about Auschwitz Tours

An amazing tour of Krakow that includes breathtaking views of Old Town cathedrals and castles. A visit to Auschwitz - Birkenau and other historical sights connected to Schindler's List and the Jewish Ghetto. A great mix of history, culture, and architecture with time enough to explore on your own or rejuvenate in the comfort of your hotel.
Did their Krakow, Poland trip in December during the Christmas markets. Really a great trip and experience. Everything was very organized, had really good hotel near the square/old town (I booked the 3-star hotel, private room option with my husband), guides were very good & knowledgeable and the excursions/tours were very good. We also received a lot of extra information and recommendations for things to do and places to go (food and drink too) in our free time which was really nice and helpful. I was a bit nervous reading a few of the reviews here on Yelp but our experience was fantastic and nothing like what some others wrote in their reviews. Krakow was an amazing city and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Definitely recommend this trip and company.
I had a great first time experience of Krakow through this tour. My tour guide Seweryn was very friendly, flexible, organised and helpful and made the whole process very smooth. The trips to the mine, factory and camps were well laid out and gave me plenty of time for independent sightseeing and fun. If you want to come to Krakow I would highly recommend you do a trip this way!

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Basic information

Visitors at the Memorial.

• Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The entry cards should be reserved on  visit.auschwitz.org . For better understanding the history of Auschwitz we suggest a visit with a guide-educator

• The fees are charged for  engaging a guide-educator . Visitors in groups are required to engage an Auschwitz Memorial guide. There is also possibility for individual visitors to join a guided tour .  

• The Museum  also  organizes  online guided tours   for groups and individual visitors .

• Due to overwhelming demand, please book in advance and arrive at the Memorial at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour due to security checks. The main car park and entrance to the Museum is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street .

• Visitors to the grounds of the Museum should behave with due solemnity and respect. Visitors are obliged to dress in a manner befitting a place of this nature. Before the visit please read " the rules for visiting ".

• The grounds and buildings of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps are open to visitors. The duration of a visit is determined solely by the individual interests and needs of the visitors. As a minimum, however, at least three-and-a-half hours should be reserved.

• The maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Museum can not exceed dimensions: 35x25x15 cm . Please leave your bags in your cars or buses.

Read more...

Multibook - preparing for a visit to the Memorial Site

europe holocaust tours

DEUTSCH   |  ESPAÑOL   |   FRANÇAIS   |   ITALIANO  

Multibook is also available in I nternational Sign language

Guided Tours for Individual Visitors

Groups at the „Arbeit macht Frei” gate. Photo. Paweł Sawicki

Individual visitors may tour the Memorial independently or in organised groups with a guide.

Entrance to the Museum, to both Auschwitz I and Birkenau parts, is possible only with a personalized entry pass booked in advance. Reservations can be made at visit.auschwitz.org or on the spot at the cashier. The number of entry passes available is limited.

Due to the huge interest, visitors are kindly requested to book in advance at the website visit.auschwitz.org, as well as to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour. Larger luggage should be left in vehicles in the car park. Before the visit, please read the rules of visiting and the opening hours of the Museum.

HOURS OF THE VISIT CAN BE RESERVED ONLINE: VISIT.AUSCHWITZ.ORG

Online guided tours

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The online guided tour lasts about two hours and is divided into two parts – in Auschwitz I and Birkenau. The guide's narration is conducted live. Additionally, the educator uses multimedia materials, archival photographs, artistic works, documents, and testimonies of Survivors. Interaction with the guide and asking questions is also possible. 

GROUPS / SCHOOLS

The tour for groups is available in 7 languages (English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, and Spanish). Bookings can be made after logging in via a form available on visit.auschwitz.org .

TOURS FOR INDIVIDUAL VISITORS

Individual visitors can join guided tours starting at set times of the day in English, German and Polish.  Entry cards are available at visit.auschwitz.org .

Check the hours of online guided tours for individual visitors . 

Learn more about "Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes" platform.

Guided tours options. Prices.

Group at Auschwitz I

We offer visitors several options for guided tours. Each includes tours of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

• General tours (2,5 h) • General tours (3,5 h) • Guided tours for individual visitors (3,5 h) • One-day study tours (6 h) • Two-day study tours (2x3 h) • Online tour (2 h)

Because of a large number of visitors guides should be reserved at least two months before a planned visit.

Plan a visit

Fence and barbed wire in Birkenau

In order to take in the grounds and exhibitions in a suitable way, visitors should set aside a minimum of about 90 minutes for the Auschwitz site and the same amount of time for Auschwitz II-Birkenau. It is essential to visit both parts of the camp, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, in order to acquire a proper sense of the place that has become the symbol of the Holocaust of the European Jews as well as Nazi crimes againt Poles, Romas and other groups.

The grounds and most of the buildings at the sites of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau sites are open to visitors. Some buildings are not accessible to visitors (including the blocks reserved for the Museum administration and its departments). Please familiarize yourself with " the rules for visiting ".

Opening hours

The Museum is open all year long, seven days a week, except January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday. You can start the visit in the following hours*:

  • 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM December
  • 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM January, November
  • 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM February
  • 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM March, October
  • 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM April, May, September
  • 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM June, July, August

* These are the hours of entrance to the Museum. A visitor may stay on the site of the Museum 90 minutes after the last entrance hour (i.e. 5.30 in February or 8.30 in July) 

"Reserve" buildings available for the visitors

"Reserve" buildings available for the visitors

Study tour groups may visit Block 2 and 3 of the former Auschwitz I camp and wooden hospital barracks (B-80 and B-210) at the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp. Block 2 and 3 are ones of so-called "reserve blocks" of the Museum, maintained and presented in their original condition. Since the liberation of the camp, the interior of the blocks has been preserved almost intact. It comprises rooms for prisoners, a washroom, toilets and other areas, furnished with original strawbeds, bunks and other elements of block furnishing. 

Getting to the Museum

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The Museum is located on the outskirts of the city of Oświęcim on provincial road 933. The visit starts at the former Auschwitz I site. The Museum is about 2 km. from the train station and can be reached from there by local buses. (GPS coordinates: GPS coordinates: 19.20363 E, 50.0266 N )

There are PKS and minibus stops adjacent to the Museum, with service to Cracow and Katowice. There are also two international airports within about 50 kilometers of Oświęcim: Kraków-Balice and Katowice-Pyrzowice.

More information for visitors (i.e. transport, weather)

Temporarily closed for visitors

Closed for the visitors:

• parts of the Auschwitz II-Birkenau 

• part of the exhibition in Block 5 in Auschwitz I

• the Russian exhibition in Block 14

• The so-called Central Sauna building in Auschwitz II-Birkenau

• the Slovak exhibition in Block 16

•  the Roma exhibition in block 13 in Auschwitz I will be closed to visitors from 12.08 to 10.09.2024 

  • via @auschwitzmuseum" aria-label="Udostępnij na Twitter">

Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images ([email protected]).

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